Engine starter



H. O. EWING ENGINE STARTER Nov. 3, 1925- Filed June 3. 1922 Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

4 UNITED STATES HERBERT o, EWING, F MIDDLEPO'RT, OHIO.

ENGINE STARTER.

Application filed June 8,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Hinuniu'r O. EWING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middleport, in the county of Meigs and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful Engine Starter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to engine starters and-more particularly to starters for use in connection with internal combustion engines.

An object of this invention is to provide means for opera-bly connecting a footoperated pedal to the shaft of an internal combustion engine through instrumentalities which will in turn impart rotary motion to the engine shaft.

Another object of this invention is to provide a starter for internal combustion engines including means for positively rotating the engine shaft in one direction and for aiitonnitically releasing this shaft after the engine has been started.

V A further object of this invention is to provide an internal combustion engine starter of generally improved construction whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient practical, serviceable and cilicient in its use.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiments in the accompanyin drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is an end view.

Figure 3 a detail sectional view taken through the ratchet but showing the pawl carrier in elevation.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional. View taken on the line 1--l of Figure 2; and.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown abase which supports a bracket- 11, the bracket having laterally extending flanges 1922. Serial no) 566,870.

12, and these flanges are secured to the base by means of bolts or other securing devices a 13. The upper portion ofthe bracket is thickened to form a laterally enlarged boss 14 having an aperture extending transverselytherethrough for the reception of a lit] reduCedp rtiOn 15 of a shaft 16. A shoulder 17 is formed at the intersectionof the shaft 16 and its, reduced portion-15, this shoulder engaging one face of theboss 1%,

and anut18 which is threaded upon thereduced portion 15 engages the opposed face of the boss to'rigidly secure the shaft 16, to V the bracket 11. a

A drum 19 is rotatably mountedupon the shaft 1Gand a ratchet 20 is carried by the drum, the periphery of this drum having a helically disposed groove 21 formed therein.

Pawls 22 are pivotally secured to a pawl carricr whiehis formed on a pulley 2st and this pulley is mounted on the conwintional engine shaft, not shown.

An ear 26 extends from the bracket 11 and a bell-crank lever is fulcruinedflto this car. The bell-crank lever comprises a hollow hub 27, the cross section of which is substantially semi-circular, and one longitudinal edge of the seini-circular 'portion is thickened to form a stop 28 which engages the car 26, as shownin Figure 1, to limit the movement of the hub in one direction. Formed at the opposed ends of the hub 2'? are bearing members 29 which have aligned apertures 30 formed therein for the reception of a fulcrum pin 31 which extends transversely through the car 26 and is held against longitudinal movement relative to the hub and ear by a cotter pin or other curing device 32 A pedal 33 is formed in-- tegral with the hub and ext-ends radially from one terminal thereof, while an arm 34 extends radially from the opposed terminal of this hub. The free end of the pedal has a laterally enlarged tread portion 38, and the outer terminal of the arm 34; is provided with an arcuate groove 35 which registers with a tapered aperture 36 formed at one end of the arcuate groove.

The grooves 21 receive a cable or other flexible element 37 that extends around the drum one or more times, and one terminal of this cable is secured to the free end of the arm 34 by forming a knot 38 in the end of the cable and positioning it within the tapered aperture, while the opposed terp rt; 3 1i sh w In operation the spring 39 draws the cable 37 taut upon the drum 19 and urges the arm 34 towards this drum and also tends to rotate the drum away form the arm 34:, the movement of this arm towards the drum being limited by the stop 28 engaging the car 26 thereby normally"holdingthe "entire bell-crank in set position. Byv pressing downwardly upon the tread 33 of the pedal the drum is rotated towards the arm 34 causingthe ratchet 20 to engage pawls 22 and rotate the pawl carrier 23, pulley 24; and the engine shaft, thereby starting the engine. After the engine has started pid re atien, 9f the l d r 23 u the pawls, throngh centrifugal action, to move from engagement with the ratchet thereby disengaging thestarting device from the en ne s aft- By this arrangement a positive starter is provided which maybe conveniently operated by simply pressing the foot upon the tread of the pedal 33, and since the hub, pedal and arm of the bell-crank are formed integral there no possibility of shearing pins or breaking keys or securing devices duringthe operation of the device.

thus descrihed my inyention what is claimed as new, is:

1. An engine starter inclnding a bell-crank, a rotatable drum having a helical groove formed in the periphery thereof, a ratchet member carried by the drum, a flexible clement secured to, the bell-crank and extending around the drum in the helical groove, yielding means Eor holding the flexible element taut upon the drum, pawls operably supported by the engine shaft and operably associated with the ratchet to thereby impart rotary motion to the'engine shaft. when the'drum is rotated by the movement of the bell-crank.

2; An engine starter including a bracket, a bell-crank fulcrumed upon the bracket, said bell-crank comprising a hub, a pedal lever extending from the hub, an arm extending from "the liub,"a drum rotatably mounted upon the bracket, means for operably connecting the arm to the drum to rotate, the

drum wh n the bell-crank is operated, yielding means for normally urging the said arm towards the drum, a stop carried by the hub and positioned to engage the bracket to limit the movement of the arm towards the drum, andmeans for operably connecting the drum tothe engine shaft to impart a rotary motion to the engine'shat't from the drum.

3. An engine starter including a bracket, a bell-crank tulcrnmed upon the bracket, said bell-crank having a radially'extending foot pedal, and an arm disposed at an angle to the foot pedal, a drum rotatably mounted upon the bracket, a ratchet member carried by the drum, a flexible element secured to the bell-crank and extending around the drum, yielding means for holding'the flexible element taut upon the drum, and pawls operably supported by the engine shaft and operably associated with the said ratchet to impart rotary motion to the engine shaft when the dr nm 'is rotated by the movement of the bell-crankf In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signa-' ture.

HERBERT O. 

